On Limitations Of Relevance-Theoretic Translation

Gutt, the pioneer who introduces relevance theory into translation, puts forward relevance-theoretic translation. For the endless disputes and unsystematic perspectives on translation theories, relevance-theoretic translation undoubtedly sheds new lights on translation studies. Attempting to unify the previously existing conventional translation principles, overcome their generality and randomness, and strengthen scientific and systematic studies of translation theories, relevance-theoretic translation offers a powerful theoretic system and instruction pattern for translation practices and criticism.However proposed by Gutt, the core element, "enough contextual effects" of the fundamental concept "Optimal Relevance" in relevance-theoretic translation are lacking in empirical evaluation and explanatory power for the absence of quantitative empirical studies as well as the concept's own ambiguity. Focusing on this aspect, the author of the present thesis attempts to explore the problem from the perspective of literary stylistics on dimensions of phonology, lexicology, syntax, discourse and culture by analyzing the practical translation Turbulence. It is significant to discuss the problem from the perspective of literary stylistics because by employing a set of scientific and systematic linguistic methods it can sharpen translators' sensitivity to the thematic and aesthetic values of literature. Discussion of the thesis involvesphonology, lexicology, syntax, and discourse focusing on the exploration of the 'cultural reproduction, because culture is interdependent of translation, a special cross-culture communication activity. The case study employed in this thesis is from the translated Chinese novel Turbulence which was awarded with the Pegasus Prize for Literature in 1988. The original work is written by the nation-wide renowned writer Jia Pingwa from Shaanxi province.Based on optimal relevance degree of relevance-theoretic translation, namely equivalence on the relevance-presenting levels and preservation of the optimal relevance degree, through the careful and systematic translation analysis from dimensions of phonology, lexicology, syntax, discourse and culture, the present thesis attempts to point out the advantages and disadvantages of the translations in Turbulence on the one hand and on the other hand, specify the core element, "enough contextual effects". Thus the present thesis concludes that the development of any theory will undergo a process of imperfection and immaturity to maturity and perfection; advocating the diversity and complementation of translation studies is the only way for translatology to develop gradually.